Berklee Indian Ensemble Welcomes Shankar Mahadevan

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The Berklee Indian Ensemble, a dynamic group of students representing over 40 countries, will host Indian master vocalist and composer Shankar Mahadevan as artist in residence this December.  Mahadevan will perform with the ensemble in the group’s sold-out Signature Series performance Shankar Mahadevan Meets Berklee on Tuesday, December 13 at 8:00 p.m. at the Berklee Performance Center, which will also be available for a global livestream. The concert will be produced by Annette Philip and Clint Valladares, artistic and managing directors of the Berklee India Exchange, a platform for cultural conversation about Indian music through artist residencies, musical collaborations, and performances.

“Shankar Mahadevan is one of India’s finest and most versatile vocal virtuosos. Not only is he considered a living legend by Indian classical enthusiasts, but he is also revered by jazz aficionados the world over, who came to know of him as a masterful improviser through the band Remember Shakti where he played alongside John McLaughlin and Zakir Hussain. His popular and Bollywood music, on the other hand, appeals to audiences of all ages,” said Annette Philip  ’09, a Berklee alumna and founder of the Berklee Indian Ensemble. “The ensemble has enjoyed exploring Shankar ji’s vast repertoire, spanning almost two decades, and is delighted to be performing new arrangements of some of his classics in Indian folk, semi classical, contemporary, global jazz, and devotional music.”

Watch a video clip of Shankar Mahadevan.

The Berklee Indian Ensemble was founded in 2011 with 18 students. The group now features over 40 musicians for each concert. They have also accumulated over 23 million views on YouTube with their viral music videos.  The ensemble has been featured throughout the United States at various festivals and music venues, and traveled to Bengaluru, India, to perform at one of India’s most prestigious music festivals, Bengaluru Ganesh Utsava, this September.

Previous artists in residence with the Berklee Indian Ensemble include Indian vocalist, composer, and producer Clinton Cerejo in 2013; Grammy- and Academy Award-winning composer A. R. Rahman in 2014; and master vocal improviser Vijay Prakash in 2015. The Berklee India Exchange helps Indian musicians realize their dreams through scholarships, workshops and master classes, and performance opportunities.